This invention relates to a connector for joining a rigid, fluid-carrying tube to a flexible tube. The present invention is particularly useful for the sterilization of endoscopes, which include such a rigid tube, and further include a hollow passage for permitting the fluid flow of a sterilant vapor therethrough.
In order to insure effective sterilant vapor flow through the hollow tube of the endoscope, it has been common in the prior art to attach a flexible hose directly to the endoscope tube. This procedure involves much handling of the endoscope, and thus jeopardizes the overall sterility of the endoscope, particularly upon disengagement.
Many different types of endoscopes are available on the market, with many different sized diameters of endoscope tubes. Also, some of these endoscopes include flanges on the end, having a somewhat smaller diameter than the main endoscope tube diameter, while others do not have these flanges. Thus, it is difficult to attach all of these different diameter endoscope tubes to one common flexible hose.
Further, it is difficult to insure an adequate fluid seal on each of these different diameters using the same flexible hose. An example of such a system employing connectors is shown in copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 851,179, now abandoned, which teaches a sterilization cassette including a plurality of ports for attaching endoscopes thereto.
Consequently, there is a need for a connector which will permit the coupling of all of the many types of endoscopes to one standard flexible hose. Such a connector should permit fast convenient coupling with easy disengagement of the endoscope from the connector, in order to insure the desired level of sterility. Also, this connector must be able to accommodate the many sizes of endoscopes and flanges that are available on the market. This connector must be able to adapt all sizes of endoscopes to one common flexible hose, in such a way as to insure a fluid seal.